The morning sun is warm and warm, accompanied by a slight breeze, which makes people's mood feel refreshed. The team began to set off towards the Yixing military camp, Chen Qingzhi, Song Jingxiu, Xu Jin and Hui Ze, after saying goodbye to everyone, traveled lightly and embarked on the road to find the little Ganning of Jiangzuo.

The four of them walked along the Yangtze River all the way to the southwest. Along the way, the wind is refreshing, the birds are singing and the flowers are fragrant, if you look out towards the river, it is the water and the sky, the magnificence of the Yangtze River is proudly displayed in front of the world, anyone who faces the surging river, will not help but send out a heartfelt emotion.

Chen Qingzhi's originally depressed mood slowly relaxed, and the four of them talked and laughed all the way, and under the guidance of Song Jingxiu, they headed towards the destination of this trip.

From the day I left Jiankang, I walked a full five days. At the far end of the road, a town that looked like a small size came into view.

Song Jingxiu pointed to the town and said happily to everyone, "Look, there is Gan Xiaokun's stronghold in front!" ”

Hui Ze shaded his hand, looked carefully in front and said, "This looks like a town, where does it look like a stronghold of river thieves?" ”

"It's a town, indeed." Song Jingxiu explained, "Although he is a river thief, he also has a wife and family, and with the continuous arrival of desperate people, it was originally just a small broken village, and it slowly expanded into a small town." And the goods they robbed had to be turned into money and grain, so that Gan Xiaokun set up a shop in this town, clearly marked the price, and sold the stolen goods, of course, the price was very affordable, so gradually, more and more merchants came here to do business with him. ”

"It seems that this person is not only brave and strategic, but also has a talent for management, rare, rare." Chen Qingzhi couldn't help but admire.

"Yes, and it seems that it is getting more and more prosperous now, this town is much bigger than what I saw back then!" Song Jingxiu also said in admiration.

"Brother Song, I'm getting more and more interested in this little Gan Ning. Let's go and see you. ”

"Okay, let's go!"

The four men mustered up their horses and galloped toward the town.

When I arrived at the entrance of the town, I saw a tall archway standing in front of me, engraved with three huge and eye-catching vermilion characters - Jinfan Town.

Under the archway, there are seven or eight soldiers in armor holding spears and steel knives at their waists, standing solemnly, and their sharp eyes are paying close attention to the people who enter and leave the town from under the archway.

Chen Qingzhi and the others also dismounted and led the horses into the town on foot.

"Aren't these guards checking us?" Walking past the archway, Xu Jin couldn't help but look back at the soldiers a few times, and asked Song Jingxiu with some doubts.

"Open the door to do business, as long as we don't make trouble here, I don't think these soldiers will care about us." Song Jingxiu said with a smile.

The crowd in the town is bustling and seems to be very lively. There are many shops on both sides of the street selling tea and food, and there are many street vendors selling all kinds of vegetables and fruits, snacks, handicrafts, etc. Occasionally, you can see a group of soldiers, patrolling in a neat queue, maintaining order here.

Everyone watched while walking, Chen Qingzhi couldn't help but admire again, "I really can't imagine that a group of river thieves can actually govern this small world in such an orderly and prosperous way, which makes people have to admire!" ”

"Yes, the little monk even saw a Buddhist hall just now, it is really unbelievable, it is actually the river thief who governs this place...... Hui Ze also said in amazement.

"Brother Song, where should we go to find that little Gan Ning?" Chen Qingzhi was a little impatient, "I really want to see this hero's demeanor earlier!" ”

"Gan Xiaokun is either in the water village or in the store on weekdays. Let's take a look at the Teichi first. ”

Song Jingxiu said that the Didian is close to the riverside, it is a large-scale building, with a two-story attic, a wide lobby, guest rooms, warehouses, etc., and a wharf has been built on the riverside, obviously to facilitate the entry and exit of the goods in the Didian.

After entering the Di store, although the environment inside is not as magnificent as that of Jiankang Zhuque Inn, its popularity is not bad. There was a crowd of people inside, shouting and screaming one after another, and everyone seemed to be excited, as if they were waiting for something.

Seeing the four of them standing at the door, one of the runners came over and greeted him warmly, "Four guest officers, please hurry up, it will start in a while!" ”

"What started?" Xu Jin asked puzzled.

Ran Tang frowned, "Aren't you merchants?" I don't know what this place is, what are you doing here? ”

Chen Qingzhi hurriedly explained, "We are not merchants, we are here to ask to see Jiangzuo Xiao Ganning. ”

"Who the hell are you?" Ran Tang began to be vigilant, looking up and down at the four people in front of him.

Song Jingxiu took a step forward, clasped his fists and said to the running hall, "I am called Song Jingxiu, and I am an old acquaintance with Leader Gan." If he's here, ask the little brother to help him out. ”

After looking up and down at the four of them for a while, he said suspiciously, "You guys wait here, don't just walk there." With that, he turned and ran towards the back hall.

After a while, the running hall hurriedly ran back. When he came to Song Jingxiu, he kept making troubles, and said anxiously, "The little one has eyes and no beads, I don't know that Uncle Song is the old friend of the commander, and he has offended ......"

"Little brother, don't do this, you haven't offended us anything." Song Jingxiu smiled and stopped the running hall from continuing to behave, "Where is your commander?" Lead us to him. ”

"Everyone, please wait." Ran Tang took a breath and said, "The procurement meeting is about to start, and the commander is personally presiding over it every time, and he can't be separated for the time being." Everyone, please come with the little ones, rest and rest first, and when you are done, the commander will meet you. ”

So, Ran Tang took Chen Qingzhi and the other four people to a private room on the second floor facing the lobby downstairs, and served hot tea and all kinds of pastries, "Everyone, please use it slowly, when the commander is done, the small one will come to report." ”

After running the hall, Chen Qingzhi came to the door, looked at the crowd in the lobby below, and asked with some surprise, "Are these people below all merchants?" That's dozens of people! ”

"Judging from what I said just now, they should all be merchants." Song Jingxiu walked over and leaned against the door, "I can't imagine it, I haven't seen you for a few years, Gan Xiaokun's movements are getting bigger and bigger." ”

"This is a piece of fat, can the local government not be greedy?" Chen Qingzhi was a little incredulous.

"This can only ask him, he dares to be so blatant, maybe there is some deal in secret."

"Brother Chen, Brother Song, these pastries are delicious, come and try them!" Xu Jin and Hui Ze's interest was completely attracted by the pastry, and the two rolled up their sleeves and feasted on it, stuffing their mouths to the brim.

At this moment, three thick gongs suddenly sounded. The otherwise noisy lobby immediately fell silent.

"Is Gan Xiaokun here?" Chen Qingzhi, who was leaning on the door, perked up and said with some excitement.

A man in a brocade robe came out of the back hall and walked straight to the high platform in the innermost part of the hall.

"Ziyun, that's Gan Xiaokun!" Song Jingxiu pointed to the man in the brocade robe and introduced to Chen Qingzhi.

Chen Qingzhi looked at it carefully - Gan Xiaokun has fair skin, his facial features are quite delicate, no matter how you look at it, he will not be associated with the fierce river thieves on the Yangtze River, his long black hair hangs behind him like a waterfall, and he wears a beautifully made hair crown on his head, and there are two pheasants more than a foot long on the hair crown, which looks heroic.

And the brocade robe he wore was obviously also very valuable, embroidered with gold threads and patterns of auspicious clouds and flowers; There is a jade belt tied around the waist, and a circle of walnut-sized silver bells falls on the jade belt, which makes a crisp rustling sound as it walks, which is very good.

Following Gan Xiaokun, there were four people who were also wearing brocade robes, who seemed to be his personal guards.

"This little Ganning's outfit is so exaggerated." Chen Qingzhi couldn't help but say softly.

"Gan Xiaokun has this problem, he likes flashiness." Song Jingxiu replied with a smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Gan Xiaokun spoke, "Today's buying meeting is still the old rule, a fixed price, no counteroffer." Later, the goods will be displayed one by one, and the price and quantity will be marked at the same time, you can buy by yourself, until the end of the sale! ”

After speaking, he clapped his hands a few times, and a team of runners carried all kinds of goods from the back hall, and then placed them in front of the stage.

Chen Qingzhi took a look, and the goods were dazzling, not only all kinds of silk and satin, but also many handmade utensils with exquisite workmanship, gold, silver and jade, spice jewelry and so on.

Merchants flocked to the market, choosing their favorite goods.

Seven or eight subordinates who are in charge of recording keep writing and drawing in their respective books, recording the transaction of each item.

Chen Qingzhi said to Song Jingxiu quite suddenly, "With so many valuable goods, Gan Xiaokun's business is big enough!" ”

"The tree is a big wind," Song Jingxiu said with some worry, "If it goes on like this, I'm afraid it will cause trouble......

"Does Brother Song also have such worries?"

Song Jingxiu nodded, and said worriedly, "With his current scale, whether it is the official family or the common people in this area, I am afraid that no one knows it, although it can be regarded as a strong party, but he has always done things that cannot be put on the table." ”

"Brother Song is worried that someone will make a fuss about it and do it to Gan Xiaokun?"

"Ziyun, you also looked at those goods just now, just buy them at once, do you know how much these will be worth? After so many years, I'm afraid there will be many people who covet this wealth......"

"There will definitely be people who beat him up, but you look at him, the business is doing so well, it shouldn't be easily calculated by others."

"What if someone makes an idea." Xu Jin chewed the pastry in his mouth and muttered, "Aren't we here to recruit him, as long as he joins us, won't that money become ours." ”

"Hehe, what you say looks like we're trying to beat him up for money." Chen Qingzhi joked with a smile.

"If we can successfully recruit Gan Xiaokun, it will indeed be of great help to us, both in terms of military strength and financial strength." Song Jingxiu said seriously.

"But looking at his posture, we want to recruit him, I'm afraid it's not as easy as that." Chen Qingzhi asked a question, "Let him let go of this rich and powerful day and go to the battlefield with us to fight hard?" ”

"It's a bit annoying." Song Jingxiu sighed, "I really didn't expect him to be so successful now, and I really don't know how to talk to him." ”

As he was talking, the little brother who ran the hall just now came, "Everyone, the commander asked the little one to take you to the back garden, and the commander will hold a banquet there to entertain you." ”